NASA Explorers Season 6, Episode 2: Bennu’s Surprises | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The OSIRIS-REx mission successfully arrives at asteroid Bennu, overcoming challenges and selecting the Nightingale site as the location to collect samples.

Key Insights

• 🎟️ OSIRIS-REx is NASA's first mission to retrieve a sample from an asteroid and return it to Earth.
• 😤 Bennu's surface presented unexpected challenges, but the team adapted and developed a new approach to sample collection.
• 🦺 The Nightingale site was chosen as the primary sampling location due to its scientific value and manageable safety conditions.

Transcript

Everything we knew about the solar system just 50 years ago, we got primarily from the back end of a telescope or from meteorites that fell. And when the meteorites fell and we wanted to know where they came from and what their composition was, this mission will make enormous strides in answering so many questions that have come up in those 50 year... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the purpose of the OSIRIS-REx mission?

The mission aims to study asteroid Bennu, select a sampling site, and bring back samples for analysis on Earth to answer questions about the solar system's origins.

Q: Why was the Nightingale site chosen as the sampling location?

Nightingale was selected due to its scientific value, containing water-rich clay minerals and organic molecules. Although challenging, its safety conditions were deemed manageable.

Q: What challenges did the OSIRIS-REx team face when approaching Bennu?

The team expected Bennu's surface to be sandy, but it turned out to be rough, rocky, and covered in boulders. This required a new approach to sample collection.

Q: How does the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft navigate and collect samples from Bennu?

The spacecraft uses Natural Feature Tracking to map the surface and identify safe areas for sampling. Images are taken and landmarks are located to ensure the spacecraft is on the right trajectory.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The OSIRIS-REx mission aims to study asteroid Bennu in detail, select a sampling site, and bring back 60 grams or more of samples to Earth.

• Bennu's rough and rocky surface has presented challenges for sample collection, but the team is prepared and adaptable.

• The Nightingale site is chosen as the primary sampling location due to its promising scientific value and acceptable safety conditions.